wise only after a carnal fashion, to place Him on earth, but in heaven, so afterwards with
better faith or intelligence they may seek Him again in the souls of the righteous rather than
in those of sinners. Hence, when it is said, “Our Father which art in heaven,” it is rightly
understood to mean in the hearts of the righteous, as it were in His holy temple. And at the
same time, in such a way that he who prays wishes Him whom he invokes to dwell in himself
also; and when he strives after this, practises righteousness,—a kind of service by which God
is attracted to dwell in the soul.
19. Let us see now what things are to be prayed for. For it has been stated who it is that
is prayed to, and where He dwells. First of all, then, of those things which are prayed for
comes this petition, “Hallowed be Thy name.” And this is prayed for, not as if the name of
God were not holy already, but that it may be held holy by men; i.e., that God may so become
known to them, that they shall reckon nothing more holy, and which they are more afraid
of offending. For, because it is said, “In Judah is God known; His name is great in Israel,”281
we are not to understand the statement in this way, as if God were less in one place, greater
in another; but there His name is great, where He is named according to the greatness of
His majesty. And so there His name is said to be holy, where He is named with veneration
and the fear of offending Him. And this is what is now going on, while the gospel, by becom-
ing known everywhere throughout the different nations, commends the name of the one
God by means of the administration of His Son.
281 Ps. lxxvi. 1.
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Chapter V